Elton John has announced a box set that includes many previously unreleased recordings from the early stages of his career.
Those songs when he wasn't famous is really the only thing he can offer as a novelty, since the entire catalog is sodomized by so many box sets, greatest hits and compilations.
The collection is called :Elton: Jewel Box. It is not separated from the jewels, because the last compilation was called "DIAMONDS",
The new box set comprises 148 songs and delves into each period of his career with previously unreleased or almost unreleased tracks and rarities. The box set will be released on November 13 via Universal-Emi and will be available on 8-CD, 4-LP, 3-LP and 2-LP.
As an initial “gift” they offer us, “Sing Me No Sad Songs”, written and recorded as a demo by the band in 1969. The song is described as “a first taste of what Elton and lyricist Bernie Taupin would do. The lyrics were re-used on two of their hits: "Sad Songs" and "Don't Go Breaking My Heart."
The 8 CD Super Deluxe Edition includes a hardcover book with the discs housed on the back, all wrapped in an outer sleeve. Each section is accompanied by extensive notes. There are three different LP sets available: a Deep Cuts 4 LP gatefold set, a Rarities 3 LP gatefold set, and many more pocholas.
All audio was mastered at Abbey Road Studios by engineer Sean Magee.
Listen to the band's 1969 demo of "Sing Me No Sad Songs."
There is an official statement from Elton John:
“I find it hard to comprehend how prolific Bernie and I were in those early days. The songs just poured out of us, and the band was amazing in the studio. I always want to move forward with everything I do and look to the future, but having time during lockdown to take stock and pull these moments from my memory of each era has been a joy. As a devoted record collector, this project has made me very excited."
Discs 1 & 2: Deep Cuts - A selection of personal favourites. The book includes a track-by-track commentary from Elton.
Discs 3, 4 & 5: Rarities 1965-1971 – His highly sought after demos from the 1960s and early 1970s that laid the foundation for the iconic writing partnership between Elton John and Bernie Taupin.
Daryl Easlea narrates this fascinating story with contributions from those who were there at the time. Those three discs contain 65 songs, all but a few of which have been stored in the singer's archives for more than 50 years.
Most of these demos were recorded during sessions before John signed a recording contract or released his first album. Also included are the first song he ever wrote and his first appearance on record (1965's "Come Back Baby", John and Taupin's first composition 1967's "Scarecrow"), and piano/vocal demos.
Discs 6 & 7: B-Sides 1976-2005 – 36 tracks that have never appeared on albums before c. Previously, 17 songs were only available on vinyl, so all of John's studio B-sides are now being offered digitally for the first time in his career.
Disc 8: And this is me. . . – Coinciding with the October 27 release of the updated paperback edition of John's memoir, Me, the final collection celebrates the songs mentioned by name by John in his autobiography, closing with the 2020 Oscar-winning duet with Taron Egerton , “.
This is the appetizer, a demo they did for the Liberty label that definitely didn't smell like success, which never was.
This is the endless list of songs from the new Elton John box set.
CD1 DEEP CUTS
1 Monkey Suit Elton John and Leon Russell
2 Where To Now St Peter?
3 Mellow
4 The Ballad Of Danny Bailey (1909-34)
5 Chameleon
6 Gone To Shiloh Elton John and Leon Russell
7 We All Fall In Love Sometimes
8 Too Low For Zero
9 The Power with Little Richard
10 All That I'm Allowed
11 The Bridge
12 The New Fever Waltz
13 Stone's Throw From Hurtin'
14 The North
15 Hoop Of Fire
16 Boogie Pilgrim
CD2 DEEP CUTS
1 ticking
2 Crystal
3 All Quiet On The Western Front
4 Tell Me When The Whistle Blows
5 Freaks In Love
6 Never Too Old (To Hold Somebody) Elton John and Leon Russell
7 The Emperor's New Clothes
8 house
9 (Gotta Get A) Meal Ticket
10 Understanding Women
11 Shoot Down The Moon
12 Have Mercy On The Criminal
13 Blues For Baby And Me
14 My Quicksand
15 Street Kids
CD3: RARITIES – PART ONE 1965 – 1968
1 Come Back Baby Bluesology
2 Mr. Frantic Bluesology
3 Scarecrow Piano/Tambourine Demo
4 A Dandelion Dies In The Wind Piano Demo
5 Velvet Fountain Piano Demo
6 A Little Love Goes A Long Way Piano Demo
7 If You Could See Me Now Piano Demo
8 Mr. Lightning Strikerman Piano Demo
9 Countryside Love Affair Piano Demo
10 I Could Never Fall In Love With Anyone Else Piano Demo
11 I Get A Little Bit Lonely Piano Demo
12 The Witch's House Piano Demo
13 Get Out Of This Town Piano/Tambourine Demo
14 Year Of The Teddy Bear Piano Demo
15 Where It's At Piano/Percussion Demo
16 Who's Gonna Love You Piano/Percussion Demo
17 Nina Band Version
18 Angel Tree Piano/Guitar/Tambourine Demo
19 Here's To The Next Time Piano/Tambourine Demo
20 Thank You For All Your Loving Band Version
21 Watching The Planes Go By Band Version
22 When The First Tear Shows Arranged Band Version
23 Tartan Colored Lady Arranged Band Version
CD4. RARITIES PART TWO 1968
1 Hourglass Band Version
2 71-75 New Oxford Street Band Demo
3 Turn To Me Arranged Band Version
4 Reminds Me Of You Piano Demo
5 I Can't Go On Living Without You Arranged Band Version
6 And The Clock Goes Round Piano Demo
7 When I Was Tealby Abbey Piano Demo
8 I'll Stop Living When You Stop Loving Me Piano Demo
9 Trying To Hold On To A Love That's Dying Piano Demo
10 Sitting Doing Nothing Band Version
11 Regimental Sgt. Zippo Band Version
12 Cry Willow Cry Band Demo
13 There Is Still A Little Love Band Demo
14 If I Asked You Band Demo
15 Skyline Pigeon Piano Demo
16 Two Of A Kind Arranged Band Version
17 The Girl On Angel Pavement Arranged Band Version
18 Smokestack Children Arranged Band Version
19 Baby I Miss You Band Demo
20 All Across The Havens Piano/Guitar Demo
21 Bonnie's Gone Away Piano/Guitar Demo
22 Just An Ordinary Man Piano Demo
23 There's Still Time For Me Piano/Guitar/Tambourine Demo
CD5: RARITIES PART THREE 1968 – 1971
1 The Tide Will Turn For Rebecca Piano Demo
2 Dick Barton Theme (Devil's Gallop) Bread And Beer Band
3 Breakdown Blues Bread And Beer Band
4 Taking The Sun From My Eyes (Arranged Band Version)
5 It's Me That You Need Band Demo
6 Sing Me No Sad Songs Band Demo
7 The Flowers Will Never Die Piano Demo
8 In The Morning Band Demo
9 Open Your Eyes To The Sun Piano/Tambourine Demo
10 One Time, Sometimes or Never Band Demo
11 Slow Fade To Blue Piano/Guitar Demo
12 Rolling Western Union Piano Demo
13 My Father's Gun Piano Demo
14 Amoreena Piano Demo
15 Burn Down The Mission Piano Demo
16 Razor Face Piano Demo
17 Madman Across The Water Piano Demo
18 Holiday Inn Piano Demo
19 All The Nasties Piano Demo
CD6: B SIDES PART ONE 1976-1984
1 Snow Queen Elton John and Kiki Dee
2 Conquer The Sun
3 Cartier
4 White Man Danger
5 Tactics
6 Steal Away Child
7 Love So Cold
8 Les Aveux Elton John and France Gall
9 Donner Pour Donner Elton John and France Gall
10 J'veux D'la Tendresse
11 Fools In Fashion
12 Can't Get Over Getting Over Losing You
13 Tortured
14 Hey Papa Legba
15 Take Me Down To The Ocean
16 Where Have All The Good Times Gone? Alternate Mix
17 The Retreat
18 Choc Ice Goes Mental
19 A Simple Man
CD7: B-SIDES PART TWO 1984-2005
1 Lonely Boy
2 Highlanders
3 Billy And The Kids
4 Lord Of The Flies
5 Rope Around A Fool
6 Medicine Man
7 I Know Why I'm In Love
8 Big Man In A Little Suit
9 God Never Came Here
10 The North Star
11 Did Anybody Sleep With Joan Of Arc
12 So Sad The Renegade
13 A Little Peace
14 Keep It A Mystery
15 How's Tomorrow
16 Peter's Song
17 Things Only Get Better With Love
CD8: AND THIS IS ME . . .
1 Empty Sky
2 Lady Samantha
3 Border Song
4 My Father's Gun
5 All The Nasties
6 I Think I'm Going To Kill Myself
7 Philadelphia Freedom
8 Song For Guy
9 Sartorial Eloquence
10 Elton's Song
11 Cold As Christmas (In The Middle Of The Year)
12 I Fall Apart
13
14 The Last Song
15 American Triangle
16 (I'm Gonna) Love Me Again Elton John and Taron Egerton